NATIONAL CONFERENCE
GPs are flying in from around the country to attend the AMA’s National Conference being held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart from today and over the weekend. Super Clinics and health policy under a Labor Government will be big discussion points.
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua will be one of the key speakers on GP Super Clinics and whether or not they are the right approach to improving patient access to quality primary care services.
Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, and Dr Christine Bennett, Chair of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission will be speaking about health under Labor.
Click here for more information about the National Conference and policy discussion sessions.
RACF SURVEY
The AMA is undertaking a web-based survey of GPs across the country to help develop policy to improve GP services to residential aged care facilities (RACFs).
The participation in this survey of GPs who do not regularly visit patients in aged care facilities is just as important as the participation of those who do. Broad GP feedback is essential if the AMA is get a better understanding of the reasons why GPs may or may not visit RACFs.
If you haven’t already received or completed the survey it should only take around 5 minutes to complete. Click here before 20 June 2008 to complete this web based survey questionnaire.
MORE COMPLIANCE AUDITS
Commencing in January 2009 Medicare Australia will be funded to undertake an additional 2000 MBS compliance audits each financial year. Under this increased audit program providers will be asked to justify their MBS claiming by providing explanations and supporting documentation.
Doctors, when requested, will be required to produce records that show compliance with the claiming requirements contained in the MBS. This will include giving Medicare Australia access, in certain limited circumstances when there is no other alternative, to relevant excerpts of a providers clinical notes.
New legislation will be required to introduce these changes. The AMA will be lobbying the Government to ensure the legislation does not impose unreasonable requirements on doctors, and properly protects the privacy of both the doctor being audited and the consumer whose medical records may be subject to review.
FINANCIAL PENALTIES FOR INCORRECT CLAIMING
The Government has announced its intention to introduce financial penalties for doctors who incorrectly claimed against Medicare. It is intended the penalties will be charged in addition to any repayment of incorrectly claimed benefits. The AMA will work to ensure that any new penalty regime will be reasonable.
UNDERSTANDING YOUNGER ONSET DEMENTIA
Alzheimer’s Australia has commissioned a practice and evidenced based publication summarising the neuropathology and characteristics of the different dementias occurring in younger adults under 65 years of age. The publication is available for free download from www.alzheimers.org.au.